Of Meddling Friends and Misundertandings
by gorillabaseball
Summary: "You two should get married." Ino Yamanaka said bluntly. "You're both smart to the point where it's really boring and you guys get excited just by talking about things that would make other people go to sleep." In which Ino butts in, Sasuke seems quite interested, and Sakura and Shikamaru just can't seem to figure out things for themselves.


Everyone who knew of him would agree that Shikamaru Nara was one of the most intelligent shinobi who had ever lived. After all, he was hugely responsible for the defeat of the Akatsuki during the last shinobi war. He had a resourceful mind and was a brilliant strategist; he knew and saw things that other ninja could not.

Of course, as much as he was intelligent, he was also very lazy. It was a wonder how they got him to do anything besides sleep and eat.

Currently, he was enjoying one of his few favorite pastimes.

Something that he hadn't done in over a year due to the taxing nature of the last ninja war.

Laying down on the soft green grass of the open field and staring up towards the sky. His arms were folded to support his head, his eyes following the drifting clouds.

It was an odd form of meditation that never failed to relaxed him. It was as if the answers to all his questions were written in the white puffs that floated by.

He could feel his eyelids get heavier by the second.

He could almost take a nap. Almost. That is if it hadn't been for the familiar chakra presence that just so happened to be coming his way.

"Sakura." He said in a voice that sounded annoyed although the tugging of his lips upward told otherwise.

He couldn't say he was that surprised to find her here. Ever since the end of the war, Shikamaru had become much closer to the remnants of Rookie 9 and the two especially, had become good friends.

It was mostly due to the time that each other spent having to work together, helping their bumbling idiot of a friend who had just been named Hokage, run the village. The blonde would be lost without them. It was a pain that he would rather not do but was forced to because of Naruto. At least the paperwork was easier with two people and it was also more interesting. He liked debating about politics and economics and other things with her. Mostly because she was the only one of his friends who actually understood it. He was shocked at the amount of time he was spending more and more with her.

She didn't say anything when he said her name, choosing instead to disturb him further by choosing the spot next to him to sit down upon. Shikamaru's left eye opened to glance at her, a ghost of a smirk on his lips.

When she caught his one-eyed stare and lifted brow that was blatantly asking her what she was doing here, bothering him, she answered rather lamely.

"I was bored."

It was enough to force the smile on his face that he had been holding back.

He sighed. "Am I suppose to entertain you?" He asked sternly but with a slight lilt in his voice that showed he was only teasing. She smirked in reply.

"No. You're kind of boring, anyways." Shikamaru gave her an amused glance before retorting back.

"You came to a boring person to alleviate you of your boredom?" Sakura scrunched her nose up at his quip but couldn't help but beam and laugh anyways.

"You're also a smart-ass." She snorted making his eyes open at her insult. The smirk that refused to leave his face was becoming painful.

"You don't make sense." He replied back, only half-jokingly. Although Sakura couldn't quite catch it.

She really didn't though. Sakura was the most confusing thing he had ever encountered in his life. She had a counter to his every remark and made him question things he didn't before. It was really aggravating to a genius like him. It was as irritating as it was exhilarating. She was the only person who had ever beaten him at shogi and was the only person who could keep him on his toes.

Shikamaru didn't know what to make out of it. And he thought it too burdensome to think on it too much.

It seemed as if a lot of things didn't make much sense these days.

XXXXXXXXX

"You two should get married." Ino Yamanaka said bluntly, her arms crossed as she examined the pair sitting across from her.

From the minute they had walked in the restaurant, the two had been flirting nonstop and she was torn between wanting to tell them to get together or get a room.

Her two closest friends, Shikamaru and Sakura were paired on one side of the booth, while she and Kiba were on the other. Their conversation seemed innocent enough, the politics of Konoha and something about how there needed to be diplomacy between the different villages. Blah blah blah. She couldn't say she really cared for it. It was boring as heck and she was dumbfounded as to how these two would find it interesting.

To make it worse, she could see the furtive glances between the two. The way her teammate's eyes would linger on her best friend's face a little longer than would be in a normal conversation. The slightly teasing tone in their voices. It was a game to these two. It was as if the more boring the conversation got, the more the two got turned on by it. It was sickening really.

The moment the words came out of her mouth, the two stopped to look at her in shock. Shikamaru, who had taken the moment before to take a sip of his drink now coughed loudly in his hand. Out of incredulity and embarrassment or both. The tinge of pink that formed on his cheeks as he looked away from both women was as telling as ever. Sakura's face turned so red and Ino couldn't help but think that they had spent so much time together that Shikamaru was becoming as bad of a liar as Sakura was.

"I-Ino." The pink haired tomato stuttered.

"Well, it's true." She said disinterestedly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You're both smart to the point where it's really boring and you guys get excited just by talking about things that would make other people go to sleep.

They stared at her in astonishment and were immediately scooting farther away from each other. She had said it so frankly and matter-of-factly, like it was something that everyone would agree to. Sakura wasn't sure how to feel about it. Did everyone think this way about them? Shikamaru's only remaining thoughts were that Ino brought 'troublesome women' to a whole new level.

Kiba, who had been quietly watching the whole time, chose to interrupt, food still in his mouth. "Actually, I kinda agree." He said in all seriousness and the couple on the other side all but fell out of their seats at their friend's contribution to the downhill conversation.

"Your kid would be one heck of a smart-ass." Was how the dog lover chose to explain his comment. No way. Sakura and Shikamaru grimaced at what he had just said. The mental image of having a kid with the other being ingrained in their minds.

Ino grinned brightly. "Exactly what I was thinking!" Shikamaru and Sakura sweatdropped. The two were high-fiving about it. Like it was an accomplishment that they both had the idea that Shikamaru and Sakura would make a genius of a baby.

Consequently, the rest of their lunch break was spent in silence. Or rather silence between them while the other two teased them to the point of oblivion. A tinge of pink still on their cheeks as Sakura vehemently denied Ino's quips.

"What? Embarrassed all of a sudden? You two were about to go at it if I hadn't said something."

"You were practically sitting on his lap when we first came."

Shikamaru scowled. His teammate was unstoppable. He felt bad for Sakura and at how increasingly flustered she was becoming.

He didn't think he had ever seen her that red before.

"You guys obviously like each other."

Another denial from Sakura. Ino smirked. It was too easy. She was sadistic. But no one could blame her. It was much too amusing of an opportunity to see Sakura _and_ Shikamaru embarrassed beyond belief.

She smirked evilly as she watched her pink haired friend stammer at her words. Although she had only been half-serious about her teasing comments, Ino did notice something odd.

Shikamaru did nothing to deny her last statement.

_Interesting._

XXXXXXXXXX

"You look pitiful." Ino said to her male teammate. Flipping her blond ponytail over her shoulder, she sat in the stool besides Shikamaru's. The boy merely gave her a raised brow, trying to say that she was being "troublesome" as always and putting on a mask of nonchalance.

"Don't play dumb." She said, resting her elbows on the counter and pointedly looking in the direction that Shikamaru had been previously been so focused on.

The shadow-user merely sighed, not in the mood for the blonde's antics.

"I still think you guys would be great together." She said again. For what happened to be the hundredth time to Shikamaru's ears.

Shikamaru still said nothing, refusing to participate in becoming the blonde's source of amusement.

But as the minutes ticked by it was harder and harder to keep his expression of indifference on. He could hear them conversing and her giggling wasn't making him feel any better. The desperate need to see what was happening was hindered by the desire to keep from looking like a fool in front of his talkative teammate.

"Did he just kiss her?!" Ino said in a feigned tone of surprise. Shikamaru's head whipped around so fast he thought he had broken it.

He was met with the image of Sakura and Sasuke, not kissing, but still simply walking together, looking around the stalls and shops across from Ichiraku's.

Shikamaru had fallen for her trap. If it wasn't obvious enough from the eruption of her laughter and the taunting that ensued afterwards.

"You are so in love with her!" Her guffaws becoming louder and louder and people had begun to stare.

The lazy genius scowled at her. She was an evil, evil woman.

When Ino had finally calmed down, she put a hand on his shoulder. He paid no mind to her intrusion of personal space, however. She noticed that he was still staring at the two. This time, openly.

Upon closer inspection she realized, that wow, he actually did look pitiful. Although his facial expression gave away nothing, she could see the wistful look in his eyes.

"I don't understand you." She told him. Which was true. She didn't undertstand why he couldn't just ask Sakura out on a proper date.

His way of thinking and all the things in his head. She guessed that that was why he and Sakura made a good pair. They understood each other.

"She still loves him." Was all he said. His tone of voice was so soft but laced with a feeling of dejection. She was shocked at the sound.

She couldn't help but feel sorry for her teammate. Everyone knew of Sakura's drawn out affections for the Uchiha. She knew it well enough since the boy was the one who caused them to become rivals in the first place. But she hadn't seen the girl with the Uchiha since last year when he actually helped them defeat the Akatsuki to everyone's surprise. Since the end of the war, Sasuke Uchiha had been put on trial, watched, and guarded. His punishment had been less severe since he chose to aid them at the last second.

But she was still surprised to see him out. Much more with Sakura. Everyone was still wary of him. Even the pink-haired kunoichi.

She was skeptical that he would be seen with her so casually. They were laughing together. Well Sakura was. But she could see the smirk on Sasuke's face and that was more than enough to confuse her.

She couldn't think of anything really encouraging to say at that point. Poor, poor Shikamaru. She began slapping her hand on his back in what was meant to be a comforting gesture.

"You can't be sure of that." She said in an overly optimistic tone that was failing miserably. "Maybe she doesn't anymore, who knows?"

She grinned widely to reassure him. Shikamaru merely gave her one glance before letting out a huge breath.

Right. Who knows? Sakura never failed to surprise him after all.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shikamaru's meetings with Sakura had gradually become less and less frequent. Besides working together in the Hokage tower, there wasn't much interaction between them as before. He had a feeling he knew the reason why.

The silence in the room was unbecoming and disheartening to him, different from the playful banter that he had become so accustomed to the past few months.

She was focused on the stack of files on her desk, unaware of the glances he was sneaking at her.

He tried to focus on his own stack of paperwork but failed to do so as the only thing on his mind was the girl before him. He wondered what he had done wrong that he would be punished so harshly. Falling in love was hard enough. Falling for Haruno Sakura would break any man's heart.

Shikamaru finally gave up, choosing to stare at her instead. He had missed her. They still met every week but it was only because of work and missions and in the end it was usually the only thing they would talk about.

Her pink hair and viridian green eyes were taunting him. He wanted nothing more to be close to her and talk to her like before.

This was just all really sad and pathetic, really. He frowned. He was acting like a lovesick teenager. Which he wouldn't deny that he was but still. He had more pride than this.

She stood up all of a sudden, the table shaking from under him. He noticed her look at the clock before a frantic look on her face appeared.

"Crap!" She muttered across from him. Grabbing a few files she was ready to head out the door. "Sorry Shikamaru, I have to go somewhere so I'll leave this up to you."

He sighed, a frown marring his face. Noticing this, an apologetic expression crossed her face. "I'm sorry! I'll make it up to you,I swear!" Her words coming out frantically as she grabbed the door handle.

"I can't." He said curtly. Shikamaru immediately regretted saying the words, cursing himself for acting like an immature child. He merely said them to stop her from leaving. But his plan worked as this immediately stopped Sakura in her tracks.

A guilty look appeared on his face instead of the angry one that Shikamaru had expected. Sakura felt bad and selfish. She had been like this lately. Leaving Shikamaru to do her unfinished work.

"You're right." She sighed, a hand appearing on her forehead. "I'm sorry, Shikamaru. I've been taking advantage of you." She had set her stuff down back on the table.

Shikamaru wondered how dense she was to think he would stop her merely because he wouldn't do the work. He wondered if she even had an inkling of a clue.

"Did you need to go to the hospital?" Was all he said as a reply. Another guilty look appeared on her face.

"No." A few seconds of silence settled in before she explained further."The Uchiha Compound, actually." She said the last part quietly.

He nodded at her answer, forcing himself not to show on his face what he was feeling inside. His chest felt as if a heavy weight had settled on it, his mood instantly darkening.

An awkward silence that filled the room afterwords made Sakura fidget as she chose to sit back down in her seat. It seemed as if he was angry with her. Although she couldn't blame him as she was shirking her responsibilities as of late. She wished she didn't have to but she didn't really have a choice.

"I have to help Sasuke with his curse seal." She said, hoping that explaining this to him would make things better. It didn't of course. The mention of his name only sent Shikamaru reeling in anguish and irritation.

When he said nothing, she only continued. "I don't know why I still have to have these appointments though since he's practically all healed now." She hoped that reassuring him that these visits would end soon and her leaving wouldn't be that frequent in the future would make him less angry. It didn't work.

"Maybe he's interested in you." He said after a a few minutes of silence. Shikamaru suspected as much. The past few weeks, the Uchiha had been hanging around them, or more Sakura for that matter. When asked, she would say that they were only "just friends", but it was obvious from simple observation that the way he followed her every movement was more than just friendly. He would know of course.

Sakura's eyes widened at his suggestion, meeting his seemingly disinterested coal ones.

He could see the blush on her cheeks which only caused his chest to further constrict.

"I guess I don't really notice." She said after a while.

"And why is that?" He asked curiously, looking up at her while fiddling with the pen in his hands.

"Because I don't, I mean I'm not, you know," He watched as Sakura stammered to get the words out. "..Interested."

He wanted to believe her. But the words coming out from her mouth were too good to be true. If that was true then why was she stumbling over sentences and flushing red as if she was?

"You've liked him since we were kids, Sakura." He said it with feigned disinterest and concern, stating it as a fact. Inside he was begging her to deny everything that he was saying.

She blushed in embarrassment before looking in his direction with an enraged glint to her eyes. "Well not anymore!" She cried in frustration.

A few moments passed and Shikamaru thought over what she had just said before asking the next question on his mind.

"And why would that be?" His coal black eyes were staring so intensely into her own that it made it hard for Sakura to focus on the question at hand. He was secretly willing her to tell him the words he so desperately wanted to hear.

"Why do you wanna know?" She countered, not wanting to give him a proper answer to his last question.

Shikamaru didn't answer her. Merely looking away from her gaze as tinge of pink colored his cheeks.

"A-Are you jealous?!" Her question didn't need to be answered as he gave it away so easily from the way his shoulders tensed at her words and his cheeks became a darker shade of red.

"You are jealous." She said the words aloud incredulously, more of a statement than an accusation, as if trying to believe it herself. Shikamaru wasn't one- she didn't even know he was the jealous type. She wasn't even sure why he was jealous in the first place. Had she been spending too much time with Sasuke and neglected Shikamaru as a friend...or was he jealous because he thought of her as something more?

Sakura herself turned red at the thought.

Shikamaru chose to neither confirm nor deny her accusations.

"You never answered my question." He said changing the subject.

"If you have to ask, you're not worthy of being called a genius." She said her blush still freshly coloring her cheeks. Shikamaru was puzzled by her answer, tired of this interrogation game they were playing.

"Sakura-" His irritated tone of voice was cut off when she chose that moment to lean across the table, cup his face, and give him a soft peck on the lips.

He was surprised was an understatement. He was shocked and flabbergasted and he had expected her to say or do something but he never guessed it would be that.

He could feel his face and his whole body warm at what had happened, her face still inches from his. She looked just as flustered as he was.

"Me and Sasuke, we're just friends." She whispered softly, trying to get her words through to him. "He's not the one I want."

"I-I , I want," He watched her gulp, his mouth now tugging to form a smirk at how she was struggling to get out the words she wanted to say. "Damn it, I'm not going to say it first!"

He only laughed at her reddened face, before pulling her down, making her gasp into his mouth as he brushed her lips against his. Her elbows folded beneath her as he pulled her face closer to his. His lips moving sensually and passionately against his. It was harsher than the kiss before. This kiss was filled with pent up emotion and need and it made everything inside Sakura tingle.

He nibbled her bottom lip, loving the taste of her. Darting out his tongue, he licked the seam of her lips, making her open her mouth. Shikamaru grinned as she gave way, exploring her mouth eagerly with his own. Sakura gasped at his intrusion. She had been kissed before but never like this. And it certainly never made her feel like this.

Sakura felt the sensation of Shikamaru sucking her tongue harshly, making her gasp and moan and feel something go off in her body. Shikamaru was lost to the sensations of her. Her wonderful taste filling his senses, the sweet smell of her hair intoxicating him. The sounds she was making were so delicious. Their lips moved until they to break apart.

Sakura broke the kiss for air, panting heavily. Shikamaru's eyes were still lidded and dark. She reddened immediately at the look he was giving her.

He waited a few seconds, watching her heaving chest, her now reddened lips, and the beautiful blush that covered her face.

Pulling her across the table into his arms, unexpectedly, Sakura crashed into his arms, angry and disoriented.

"Shikamaru!" He only chuckled as he looked at the way she was uncomfortably kneeling on the table before helping her unfold her legs. Seating her on his work space, he watched as the remaining files which weren't already on the floor, fell.

He brushed the mussed locks that covered her face before saying what he said next.

Looking deeply into her green eyes, he said it as clearly as he could. "I love you." He had known it for a long time, too afraid to admit it aloud. Heck, he had known it since the day that she had beaten him at shogi.

She was immediately silenced at his confession. A smile capturing her mouth, she whispered softly. "I love you too."

XXXXXXXXXX

"She should be here, teme." Naruto said, rubbing his chin.

Both of them thought it odd. Sakura was not one to keep another waiting. In fact, he could hardly remember a time where she she had ever been late. Perhaps she had simply forgotten about the appointment, thought the Uchiha.

"Oh! She's probably working with Shikamaru!" The whiskered blonde remembered suddenly. Naruto led him down the hall to one of the offices. Sasuke followed Naruto onto the door he stopped at.

Standing in front of the door, they heard something strange.

A weird choking sound and something that sounded almost animalistic. The two men looked at each other with similar faces of worry and confusion.

Naruto worried. What was that in there? Could it be that someone had infiltrated into the tower without notice?

Without so much as a warning the blonde kicked open the door.

"Come out! I know-" The words died down at his throat as he witnessed something he shouldn't have.

The two men's eyes widened before giving way into a blush as they saw the scene before them.

Sakura half sitting, half lying down on the table, her face and lips red and chest heaving, red top pulled down to expose her neck and shoulders which were covered in red marks. Holding her up was Shikamaru, his face in the crook of her neck.

Shikamaru paused to look at the disturbance. He gave them both a raised brow and upturned smirk, before standing more straightly, reaching his arm out, slamming the door back shut, and returning to his business.

**I hoped you like it. Please R&R! I spent the hold day like writing this. **


End file.
